GEN 30: Rachel is in anguish because she is barren. So she give her servant Bilhah for Jacob to have children with- and this is common in that day. Two more sons (and tribe leaders of Israel) were born, Dan and Nephtali.
Leah saw what was happening, and that she wasn't getting pregnant anymore, so she gave her servant Zilpah to Jacob as well for more children. Two more sons (and tribes) were born, Gad and Asher. Leah did get pregnant again later on after bribing Rachel for a night with Jacob, and another son and future tribe leader was born, Issachar. And again later, another son and tribe leader was born to Leah, Zebulun. (Dinah, a daughter, also was born later to Leah as well.)
Meanwhile, God answered Rachel's prayer at this time and enabled her to get pregnant, she gave birth to a son, and future tribe leader, Joseph. (Joseph became Jacob's favorite son, and it showed! The other sons soon become very jealous)
Jacob also requests that Laban release him from servitude and allow him to return back to his family where Esau and still lives, where his father and grandfather had lived, where their land, the land of his inheritance, is.
GEN 31: Jacob leaves Laban, but feels he has to do it secretly because Laban is not treating him and even his own daughters married to Jacob, "right" anymore. And Laban's sons are saying that Jacob got all his wealth off of Laban.
Jacob leaves secretly, with all his family and live stock, and 7 days later Laban figures this out and pursues him. But in a dream, God told Laban to leave Jacob alone! Jacob had worked for Laban 20 years by this time. Laban catches up to Jacob and they have a civil conversation.
They set up a covenant and boundary line between them, and promise to leave each other alone, they made this promise to each other and to God. Laban leaves the next morning after saying goodbye to his daughters and grandchildren, and all is well between them.
Leah saw what was happening, and that she wasn't getting pregnant anymore, so she gave her servant Zilpah to Jacob as well for more children. Two more sons (and tribes) were born, Gad and Asher. Leah did get pregnant again later on after bribing Rachel for a night with Jacob, and another son and future tribe leader was born, Issachar. And again later, another son and tribe leader was born to Leah, Zebulun. (Dinah, a daughter, also was born later to Leah as well.)
Meanwhile, God answered Rachel's prayer at this time and enabled her to get pregnant, she gave birth to a son, and future tribe leader, Joseph. (Joseph became Jacob's favorite son, and it showed! The other sons soon become very jealous)
Jacob also requests that Laban release him from servitude and allow him to return back to his family where Esau and still lives, where his father and grandfather had lived, where their land, the land of his inheritance, is.
GEN 31: Jacob leaves Laban, but feels he has to do it secretly because Laban is not treating him and even his own daughters married to Jacob, "right" anymore. And Laban's sons are saying that Jacob got all his wealth off of Laban.
Jacob leaves secretly, with all his family and live stock, and 7 days later Laban figures this out and pursues him. But in a dream, God told Laban to leave Jacob alone! Jacob had worked for Laban 20 years by this time. Laban catches up to Jacob and they have a civil conversation.
They set up a covenant and boundary line between them, and promise to leave each other alone, they made this promise to each other and to God. Laban leaves the next morning after saying goodbye to his daughters and grandchildren, and all is well between them.